Court Bans Uber in Germany

The Frankfurt Regional Court has issued a temporary ban against Uber, a mobile-application-based company that connects customers with vehicle drivers. The court stated that Uber’s drivers didn’t have the required commercial licenses to pick up passengers, according to a Reuters report.

In response, Uber said that it plans to appeal the court decision and will continue to operate in Germany, says the report.

German law permits drivers to pick up passengers without a commercial license if they don’t charge more than the operating cost of the trip, according to the report. As the one connecting drivers and passengers, Uber stands to take a cut of any charges; therefore, the court issued an injunction against the service.

The suit was filed by Taxi Deutschland, a Frankfurt-based association made up of taxi companies from major cities in Germany, says the report. Uber can be fined up to 250 euros each time it provides service without a license — anywhere in Germany, according to Taxi Deutschland.